Honor Magic 6 Pro, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Ring are some of the biggest highlights of this MWC 2024. These are his high-end gadgets that will be released this year. In fact, both smartphones will be launched within the next few days. This is Samsung’s new wearable, the release date of which has not yet been determined.
But I found another device at MWC that I’m ready to buy right away, and it’s not necessarily what I was expecting. I attended TCL’s information session before MWC opened with the NXTPAPER device in mind. These are the smartphones and tablets that TCL has already announced and will be hitting stores soon.
Eventually I also found the TCL Linkkey IK511 pictured above. This is one of the world’s first 5G RedCap USB-C dongles. I’d buy one right now to make sure I have a backup connection on hand. There’s no need to share your phone’s internet connection, especially when traveling to places where roaming charges may apply.
In fact, MWC is the best example of this. I’ve been going to see it for years, but my anxiety hasn’t changed. To get through each day, you need a reliable Wi-Fi or 4G/5G connection and plenty of battery life on your devices.
The situation has improved significantly in recent years. Wi-Fi networks are fast and stable, so you rarely have to worry about tethering your phone. On top of that, the 5G coverage has also improved, but I have to say I’m happy with the 4G link I can share with my laptop when Wi-Fi isn’t available. VPNs are fast and reliable.
Still, I always have enough internet in my extra local SIM to get me through a busy week. I also carry a spare cell phone, but only as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
I’ve been looking for something like this new TCL 5G dongle. Since I only use it occasionally, I need something small and affordable.
Now that it’s finally finished, we’ll just have to wait until around the fourth quarter of this year for it to be released in Europe. The US will get it in the third quarter, and here’s the best part. TCL says it’s available for less than $100. It’s up to carriers to commercialize this, but the Chinese vendor has already partnered with an unnamed major U.S. carrier.
The reason the price is so low is because we are looking at 5G RedCap devices. RedCap is an abbreviation for Reduced Capacity. This is a more cost-effective and energy-efficient 5G technology. This means you can get speeds of up to 220Mbps, which is more than enough for most mobile tasks that require an internet connection.
TCL’s Linkkey IK511 is about the same size as any 4G dongle I’ve used in the past. It connects to your laptop via USB-C and is powered by your computer. That’s right, you don’t have to worry about charging another gadget.
The dongle is plug-and-play, so it works directly with Windows and Mac. Just insert a SIM into your gadget and you’ll be able to enjoy 5G internet.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X35 5G modem actually provides 5G connectivity for your device. As expected, the TCL dongle will fall back to his 4G if 5G connectivity is not available. And we already know that 5G won’t always be available.
